Catawba Tops Wolves in OT to Reach DSC Title Game

HICKORY, NC -- Catawba junior John Scheich (Waxhaw, NC/Weddington HS) scored with 38 seconds left in the first overtime period to lift the Indians to a 12-11 win over Lenoir-Rhyne in the semifinals of the 2013 Deep South Conference tournament on Thursday afternoon at Moretz Stadium.

The win over the North's top-seeded team sends the Catawba Indians, now 8-6, to its fourth straight DSC tournament title game. The Bears fall to 8-8.

Scheich had a pair of goals and two assists to help the Indians rally from an early 4-0 deficit. His winning goal tied the school mark for goals in a season with 45 on the year. Adam Hebert (Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Catholic HS) also had two goals, while Tom Cullop (New Windsor, MD/S. Carroll HS) had a goal and three assists.

Lenoir-Rhyne stormed out to a quick lead, scoring three times in the opening three and half minutes. Tyler Botts made it 4-0 at the 8:21 mark. Scheich assisted on a pair of goals as Catawba scored three in a row to cut the margin to 4-3. The Bears went to the break with a 7-4 edge.

Catawba blanked the Bears in the third quarter and pulled even at 7-7 on a tally by John Williams (Hillsboro, NC/Northern HS) at the 7:52 mark of the quarter. That was the final goal of the period as the teams went to the fourth quarter tied.

Sam Ashton and Botts scored in a 12 second span early in the fourth to give Lenoir-Rhyne a 9-7 edge. The Indians responded with three straight goals to grab its first lead to 10-9 on Hebert's first goal with 7:34 remaining. Connor Squires tied the contest with 1:24 to play, but Hebert put Catawba back up with only 29 seconds left. The Bears won the face-off and Imari Davis knotted the game once again with only 14 ticks left.

Lenoir-Rhyne twice hit the post in overtime and had another shot saved by Christian Klimczyk (Linthicum, MD/Cardinal Gibbons School). The Indians won the game on its lone shot of the extra period as Scheich fired in a shot on an assist from Cory Losselyong (Lewisville, NC/W. Forsyth HS).

Ashton had two goals and three assists to pace Lenoir-Rhyne. Squires, Botts and Davis each had two goals. Steven McGhee collected 13 saves for the Bears. Klimczyk made 11 saves for Catawba, who were out shot 58-47.

Catawba will face the winner of the South Division game between Saint Leo and Tampa on Sunday in Winter Park, FL, on the campus or Rollins College. Catawba has won the past two DSC Tournament titles.